Getting both young and old involved in learning about the environment was the aim at Te Manawa last Saturday.
While parents were engrossed in Horizons Regional Council's State of the Environment report, kids were out in the foyer creating sculptures from recycled materials under the watchful eyes of local art collectiveJunk and Disorderly.
Shoe boxes, old material, piping and other odd items were splayed across the floor as eager kids channelled their inner artists. Amongst the creations was a kid-sized robot figure and a large river-watching eel.
The occasion also marked the official launch of the informative river trail that runs from Te Manawa to the Manawatu River. The trail is marked by colourful and informative graphics, and will be in place for the next few weeks.
"The aim of the report and trail is to make the science behind our environmental monitoring and management relevant to a general audience," said Horizons communications advisor Ally Koehler. With the Manawatu-Wanganui region being about 22,000 square kilometres, Horizons deals with a variety of issues concerning the region, such as water quality, erosion, hazard management and biosecurity.
"Our progress over the past seven years has been very, very positive," said Horizons chief executive Michael McCartney.
Though there is a great deal of complicated science involved, the report is written in a way that is understandable for those who aren't scientifically-minded. The trail map is kid-friendly too, with a trail challenge to test knowledge of the local environment along the way.
The report and trail map are available on the Horizons website, www.horizons.govt.nz.
